SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Springfield police say that an incident of shoplifting quickly escalated into an armed robbery at a South End store Monday morning.

Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney told 22News that around 8:30 A.M., a manager at the Family Dollar at 575 Main Street saw a customer in the women’s clothing aisle stealing some panties. When the manager went to confront her, the customer allegedly pulled out a knife.

Delaney said that a police dog was used to try to track the suspect down, but they were unsuccessful.

The suspect was described as a 20-25 year-old African-American woman, about 5’2” tall and weighing about 110 pounds. She had two pigtail braids, and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark blue jeans. Delaney said that no surveillance video was immediately available.